Yote Notes – May 21,
2008
|
|
Mike Safford Jr. – Sports
Info. Director
msafford@collegeofidaho.edu
ATHLETIC NEWS:
TWO MORE SCHOLAR-ATHLETES: The number of national scholar-athletes
during the 2007-08 school year rose to 33 this week, as a pair of women’s
athletes were honored by the NAIA in their respective sports - Karin Hayashida in tennis and Haley Butcher in softball. Hayashida, a senior from Caldwell, and
Butcher, a junior from Eagle, both have maintained a 3.50 cumulative GPA throughout
their college career and are at least a junior in academic status – earning the
distinction from the national office.
The previous high for scholar-athletes in a season for the Yotes was 29 –
with baseball, women’s golf, and men’s and women’s track still to announce
their recipients.
SKI SIGNINGS: The
VOLLEYBALL AND WOMEN’S SOCCER CAMPS:
Both The C of I
volleyball and women’s soccer teams will be conducting youth camps this
summer. For brochures and more
information on them head to their respective websites at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball.htm
or www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmenssoccer.htm.
VOICES OF THE YOTES HEAD TO
TRACK: Yotes off to NAIA Outdoor
Championships
LAST WEEK: Idle
COMING UP: at NAIA Outdoor Track Championships,
OFF TO
HISTORY AT OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS: It marks the fourth-straight season
that the Coyotes have sent runners to the NAIA Outdoor Championships. The C of I men have scored points in the
event once – as David Fluckiger placed sixth in the 3,000-steeplechase in 2006,
while the Lady Yotes have never had a Top-8 finish. The Yotes have had two Top-10 finishes – as current
runner, Tyler Hopper (
SEEDING IN EVENTS: Three Coyotes are seeded in the
Top-20 in their respective events heading into the meet. Tyler Hopper is seeded No. 5 in the 1,500-meters,
Jesse Chlebeck is seeded tenth in the 10,000-meters, with Stephanie Helm (Challis,
TRAVEL ITINERARY/SCHEDULE: The Yotes left
FOR
MORE INFORMATION: For more information on
the Coyote track and field team, head to the official homepage of the Yotes – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/track.htm.
SOFTBALL (28-20): Season Review
LAST WEEK: at NAIA Women’s World Series,
YOTES FINISH 14TH: Untimely errors ultimately doomed
The College of Idaho softball team in pool play at the 2008 NAIA Women’s World
Series, as the Lady Yotes finished fourth in their five team pool with a 1-3
record, not good enough to advance to the national quarterfinals. The Coyotes finish the season with a 28-20
record and a 14th-place finish in the tournament.
AT THE CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Coyotes arrived in Birmingham
late Tuesday night, made the 90 minute drive to Decatur, and spent Wednesday
getting acclimated to the surroundings – practicing and helping with NAIA
Champions of Character events. Thursday,
which was a rainy day, saw the Yotes attend the NAIA Champions Banquet at
COMMENTS FROM THE COACH: “I learned that softball in the
Northwest is not much different than what we saw in
POSTSEASON HISTORY: After missing out on the playoffs
during the first four seasons of intercollegiate softball, the Lady Yotes have
qualified for the postseason each of the last three years. In 2006, the Yotes made their playoff debut
and dropped two games at the now defunct Cascade Conference Tournament, but
last year, went 2-2 at their first NAIA Region I Tournament – defeating both Oregon
Tech and Concordia, before dropping a pair to eventual champion, Simon Fraser. The Lady Yotes swept through the 2008 Region
I Tournament, before going 1-3 in
END OF THE ROAD FOR ZILLNER,
MURDOCK: The World
Series marked the final games in the careers of a pair of C of I seniors, Katie Zillner (
NUCLEUS RETURNING: The Lady Yotes will have the
majority of their team returning for the 2009 season, as seven starters and key
role players will be back to wear the Purple and Gold. Bookend infielders Haley Butcher (Eagle,
SINGLE GAME RECORDS: Dani Villyard rewrote the school
record book with four different single-game records in 2008 – breaking the
marks for RBI in a game (6) and total bases in a game (9) – both against
SEASON RECORDS: Six other C of I players notched
Top-10 single-season marks in 2008.
Leading the way was Haley Butcher with
CAREER RECORDS: Ten players found themselves on the
career Top-10 list – led by Haley Butcher, who with 13 marks – No. 3 in batting
average (.327), doubles (28), and runs scored (76); No. 4 in RBI (69) and
triples (3); No. 5 in home runs (7); No. 6 in hits (128), at bats (391), and
hit by pitches (7); No. 7 in games started (136) and walks (26); No. 8 in games
played (136); and No. 9 in stolen bases (15).
Stacy Smith is on the list in ten categories – No. 1 in home runs (23); No.
2 in RBI (86) and hit by pitches (15); No. 4 in doubles (23), No. 5 in runs
scored (64); No. 6 in batting average (.314); No. 8 in hits (111) and at bats
(353); and No. 9 in games played (135) and games started (124). Brooke Judy has nine mentions on the list –
No. 2 in ERA (2.88) and wins (23); No. 3 in saves (2); No. 4 in strikeouts
(127); and No. 5 in appearances (52), innings pitched (257.2), starts (30),
complete games (12), and walks (57).
Chelsey Nokleby is on the list six times – No. 3 in saves (2); No. 6 in
appearances (30), starts (16), and walks (45); and is No. 8 in innings pitched
(69) and streikouts (33). Dani Villyard
is No. 2 all-time in both batting average (.346) and home runs (9), while
ranking No. 8 in RBI (43), with five other players on the list once – Katy
Luetke and Stephanie Stover both tied for No. 5 in triples (2), Donnae Carrell
at No. 7 in home runs (5), with both Kalie Kurdy and Sammy Dodge both No. 9 in
home runs (4).
AUTOMATIC BERTH TO NATIONALS NEXT
YEAR: Thing change in
the way the Lady Yotes qualify for the NAIA World Series in 2009, as regional
play will be eliminated – with the NAIA using direct conference qualification
for postseason berths. Because of this,
the Cascade Conference Tournament, which has not been played since 2006, will
return, with the winner receiving an automatic berth to the national
championships.
2009 SIGNEES: The Coyotes are in the process of
filling their recruiting class for the 2009 season, with a mix of junior
college and high school players. The
first list of new Coyotes will be released in the coming weeks.
DAY 1 RECAP: Trevecca Nazarene 2, College of
Idaho 1: Brittany Johnson tossed a four-hitter, striking out 11 batters, as
No. 5 ranked Trevecca Nazarene opened up the 2008 NAIA Women's World Series
with a 2-1 victory over The College of Idaho on Friday. Johnson helped her own cause with a two-out
RBI single in the opening frame to give the Trojans, the early 1-0 lead.
They'd make it 2-0 in the third, as Chelsea Bailey stole third base, recording
her 47th stolen base of the season with two outs, scoring when with the throw
went into left field. The Lady Yotes,
making their World Series debut, left the bases loaded in the first, but cut
the margin in half in the third, as Dani Villyard roped a two-out RBI
single to left, scoring Donnae Carrell from second. However, the Yotes
could not get closer, as Johnson retired 13 of the final 14 batters in a row,
including eight strikeouts. Katie
Zillner was solid in the loss for the Yotes, allowing just four hits, walking
three, and striking out six - allowing just one hit after the third
inning. Bailey led off the ballgame with
a bunt base hit and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout,
Johnson laced a ball to right to score the speedster to make it 1-0. In
the bottom of the frame, Kelsi Murdock was hit by a pitch with one out, with
Zillner singling up the middle. After Villyard struck out, Haley Butcher
was plunked to load the bases, but on a 3-2 pitch, Stacy Smith lined out to
second. TNU had a chance to break the
game open in the fourth, as Johnson walked and Megan Suggs rolled a base
hit. However, Zillner was able to work out of the jam, getting Melinda
Patterson to ground out to end the threat.
Lubbock Christian 6, College of Idaho 1: A two-run Lisa
Stratton RBI single in the bottom of the second inning broke a 1-1 tie, while
Lubbock Christian pitchers retired the final ten batters in a row, as the
Chaparrals upended The C of I, 6-1.
Marissa Gonzalez was stellar in the circle for the No. 9 ranked Chaps,
allowing just three hits and striking out ten - allowing just one batter in
scoring position after the second inning.
LCU got on the board in the first, as Raquel Hawkins hit a long home run
to left field, but the Lady Yotes countered in the second, as Smith launched a
solo shot of her own to tie the game at 1-1.
However, a throwing error by starting pitcher Brooke Judy on a sacrifice
bunt attempt in the second allowed a pair of runners to move into scoring
position, with Stratton picking both up with a two-out single, giving the
Region VI champs the lead for good.
They would tack on two more runs in the fourth, one on a Daniela Garcia
RBI single and a second on a wild pitch, then tallied the game's final run in
the sixth on a fielders choice. The home
run hit by Smith was her fourth of the season and the 22nd of her career.
DAY 2 RECAP: Game 3 - C
of I 6, Friends 5: Brooke Judy allowed just one earned run in six innings of relief this
afternoon, as The C of I picked up their first-ever win at the NAIA Women's
World Series, upending Friends (Kan.), 6-5.
The sophomore from Kuna was pressed into action after Region I Pitcher
of the Year, Katie Zillner, had to leave the game in the second with an injured
thumb on her throwing hand. Judy, who entered the game trailing 2-1,
retired eight of the first nine batters she faced - giving the Yotes bats a
chance to head up. After Casey Jenson
put the Falcons up 2-0 in the first with a two-run single, the Yotes would
battle back. Kalie Kurdy launched a solo homer in the second, then Donnae
Carrell followed an inning later with a two-run homer to give The C of I their
first lead of the tournament. They'd make it 4-2 in the fourth when Haley
Butcher scored from third on a wild pitch, and then 5-2 in the fifth on a bases
loaded single from Dani Villyard.
However, Friends, who brought a 32-game win streak into the tournament,
would not go down without a fight. An RBI single from Megan Vinzant and
an Allison Bellar sacrifice fly keyed a two-run bottom of the fifth to cut the
margin to 5-4. The Yotes would get an RBI infield single from Carrell in
the sixth to regain a two-run cushion, but an error by left fielder Nicole
Antonoplos allowed Amy Martinez to score from second on a Haley Martin single
to make it 6-5. With the tying run at third, Judy buckled down, striking
out Amy Sanchez to end the threat.
Carrell went 3-for-4 with three RBI, with Villyard and Kurdy each
recording two hits. Kali Taylor had two of the nine hits for the Falcons. Game 4 - Olivet Nazarene 5, C of I 4: A four-run fourth inning
outburst propelled Olivet Nazarene to a 5-4 victory over The C of I in the
final game of the 2008 Women's World Series for both teams. The Lady Yotes jumped out to an early 3-0
lead, taking advantage of a fielding error by the Tigers in the first, allowing
Zillner to score from third to open the scoring. They'd tack on a pair of
runs in the fourth on a two-out, two-run single from Judy. Unfortunately, tenth-ranked ONU would fight
back, as a Abby Meyerhoff two-run single capped the big inning, as the Tigers
would never trail again. The Coyotes
would load the bases with one out in the sixth, scoring a run on a Kurdy RBI
ground out, but Judy grounded out to end C of I's last real threat. Zillner had a pair
of hits and scored two runs in her final collegiate game, while Villyard added
two hits of her own. Kellie Koverman notched the win for ONU, striking
out eight batters without a walk.
ABOUT THE COACH: Al Mendiola just
completed his third year as head coach of The College of Idaho softball program
and has an 83-57 all-time record – already the all-time winningest coach in C
of I history. The native of
FOR
MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the